Author: Phillip Charlier

Indian-American student drowns while swimming at beach in southern Taiwan

rescuers pull man out of water at beach
Health and Safety 
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An Indian-American man studying at Taiwan’s Tsinghua University was declared dead at the hospital after a drowning incident at a popular tourist beach in southern Taiwan’s Pingtung County, yesterday, June 24. Pingtung County Fire Department said they received a report that two people had been swept away by a rip current near Sail Rock in Kenting National Park in Hengchun Township at around 1:10 pm. When firefighters and paramedics arrived at the scene, two people had already been plucked out

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13 passengers sent to hospital after Boeing 737 depressurization incident on Korea-Taiwan flight

Flight path of Ke-189 emergency return
Aviation 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

Fifteen passengers reported eardrum pain and other symptoms, and 13 were sent to hospital, after a Korean Air flight bound for Taichung City, Taiwan, experienced a sudden cabin depressurization incident yesterday, June 22. According to Yonhap News Agency, Korean Air Flight KE-189 departed Incheon Airport at 4:45pm with 130 passengers and crew aboard. However, around 50 minutes into the flight a “pressure system abnormality” occurred. The aircraft was turned around and landed back at Incheon Airport at 7:38pm. Taiwanese passengers

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Train derails after landslide on Taiwan’s east coast: passengers evacuate in tunnel

passengers evacuate train in tunnel
Disaster 
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The driver of an intercity express train and six passengers suffered minor injuries after a train derailed following a landslide at the entrance of a tunnel on Taiwan’s east coast line late this afternoon, Friday, June 21. According to reports, the Ziqiang Express EMU 3,000 express train, service number #229, was hit by rocks as it passed through the Heren Tunnel between Heren and Chongde Stations in Hualien County’s Xiulin Township at 4:50 pm. Pictures and video uploaded to social

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Navy sailor jumps ship off northern Taiwan, swims to shore

Cheng Gong class missile frigate ROCN Ming Chuan
Military Affairs 
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Military police are questioning a Taiwanese navy sailor after he jumped off his ship as it left the Port of Keelung last night, and swam to shore. Keelung Port police received a report from a security guard at Taiwan Ship Building Company on Heping Island at around 1:30 am this morning, June 17, saying that an unidentified man was seeking help after landing on shore wearing a life jacket. Police and ambulance personnel took the man to hospital for a

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Taiwan railway employee YouTuber accused of poor service attitude

Chiu holding a gun during YouTube broadcast
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

Taiwan Railways Corporation has issued two warnings to a deputy station master after he was accused of “poor service attitude” towards customers, including posting videos of railway passengers breaching regulations, and responding to online criticism by pointing a BB gun at the camera. The Deputy Station Master of Chaozhou Train Station in Pingtung County, named Chiu, first came to public attention when he began uploading videos of passengers breaching regulations on his personal YouTube channel. Members of the public who

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Three dead after charging battery causes residential fire in New Taipei City

firefighters battle fire in New Taipei City
Fire 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , , ,

Three people died after a lithium-ion battery caught fire and exploded while charging, setting fire to a residence in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District early this morning, June 13. New Taipei City Fire Department received reports of a fire on the fourth floor of a 7-storey residential building in a lane on Yanshou Road at 3:32 am. NTCFD dispatched 50 vehicles and 136 personnel to deal with the fire. Firefighters cut iron bars on a balcony to rescue a man

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Cargo ship explosion and fire injures 3: crew abandons ship in south Taiwan waters

cargo ship on fire after explosion
Marine and Fisheries 
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Three injured crew members were airlifted from a burning cargo ship after an explosion, and the rest of the crew abandoned ship in waters south of Taiwan earlier today, June 12. According to reports, an explosion occurred on the Taiwanese-flagged general cargo ship HUI FENG around 17 nautical miles offshore of the south embankment of the Port of Kaohsiung at around 8:00 am. Among the crew of 12, three people were injured, two seriously. The two seriously injured crew members

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Chinese man arrives in Taipei on a speedboat, sparking security concerns

coast guard officers on board speedboat
Military Affairs 
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An investigation has been launched into the possible dereliction of duty of coast guard and naval personnel after a Chinese man in a speedboat breached an “Iron Defense Triangle,” and landed at the mouth of the river that leads to the nation’s capital. According to reports, coast guard officers arrested a Chinese national at Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf following reports that a speedboat had collided with a ferry as it was berthing at around 11:00 am, yesterday, June 9. Taiwan’s National

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Oil tanker damaged after hitting Kaohsiung Harbor breakwater

damaged hull of oil tanker
Marine and Fisheries 
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An oil tanker was forced to return to Kaohsiung Harbor for repairs after hitting an offshore breakwater while attempting to depart, Saturday, June 8. The Kaohsiung Port office of Taiwan International Ports Corporation said that the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) oil tanker, TONG YUN, departed Kaohsiung Second Harbor at 1:10 pm, but collided with the offshore embankment while exiting the port. The starboard side of the ship sustained serious damage, and the concrete breakwater was also damaged. A preliminary

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5 foreigners charged after brawl erupts in Kaohsiung City convenience store

man laying on zebra crossing after being punched
Society 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment

Five men were sent to the district prosecutor to face charges of assault, and one also faces a charge of sexual assault, following a drunken brawl in a convenience store apparently triggered when one of the men touched a Taiwanese woman. According to media reports today, June 9, two British men, aged 24 and 26, a 28-year-old German man, two Moroccan men, aged 29 and 32, and a 21-year-old Taiwanese woman went to a convenience store to chat after leaving

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Tesla breaks in half, catches fire after plunging off freeway bridge

tesla on fire after crash
Traffic Accidents 
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One man died, and another was injured, after the driver of a Tesla lost control of his vehicle, smashed through a guardrail, and plunged 6.5 meters off a bridge in Yunlin County, yesterday, June 6. Yunlin County Fire Department received reports of an accident in the southbound lanes of Highway 1 in Huwei Township at 9:12 pm. Firefighters arrived at the scene of the accident to find the white tesla broken into two pieces, with the front section on fire.

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